Don Juan's Reckless Daughter

Pretentious and unflinching fan boy of the things I love- Opera, Music, Art, Tennis, Joni Mitchell, Literature. All things lead to my blog.

[soundsof71]

Joni Mitchell in British Columbia, 1972, used for the cover of For The Roses, by Joel Bernstein

[donjuansrecklessdaughter]

Must I surrender With grace The things I loved when I was younger (Sweet embrace) Must I remember your face So well What do I do here with this hunger

Joni Mitchell- Nothing Can be Done

[donjuansrecklessdaughter]

Christmas is sparkling Out on Carol's lawn This girl of my childhood games With kids nearly grown and gone Grown so fast Like the turn of a page We look like our mothers did now When we were those kids' age

Joni Mitchell- Chinese Cafe/Unchained Melody

[donjuansrecklessdaughter]

As requested by the-half-blood-hallowed-tardis, I wrote about Maria Callas on my blog TalesofTessitura

Drop me a DM if you have a favourite opera star you want me to write about! :D

[donjuansrecklessdaughter]

The great 19th century Assoluta Maria Malibran.

Malibran was the operatic ancestor of the greatest recorded singer of the art form, Maria Callas. Like Callas, Malibran vocally embodied the fach of the ‘soprano sfogato’ or ‘assoluta’ voice, an incredibly rare instrument that could span the entire female range (Malibran’s range extended from a low D3 to a high F6) and could sing both dramatic coloratura contralto roles as well as high dramatic soprano and coloratura repertoire.

An extremely beautiful woman, her career was tragically curtailed at the age of 28 having died following a riding accident, but her prodigious talent and legendary musicianship makes her one of opera’s most enduring icons.

[satya-]

Happy 72nd birthday, Joni!

[donjuansrecklessdaughter]

Halloween flashbacks.

[united-hairlines]

Joni

[donjuansrecklessdaughter]

Questions?

I’m ready.

[satya-]

Joni Mitchell

☾

[romeoandjulietfan]

[donjuansrecklessdaughter]

[tennis-stripes]

Venus Williams won the title in Wuhan defeats Garbine Muguruza (6/3 3/0 ret.)

[donjuansrecklessdaughter]

A beautiful voice, what does that mean? When you have to interpret a role you have to have thousands of colours during the performance to portray the words you do. Happiness, joy, unhappiness, sorrow, fear- how can you just have a beautiful voice period? You must put that to the service of expression. So therefore even if you have to sing harshly sometimes, (which I frequently have done), shrill, it is a necessity of expression. It is written there, you have to respect the words and you have to do it even if people will not understand- but on the long road they will!

Maria Callas

[mildredsfierce]

Happy Birthday, Greta Garbo (September 18, 1905–April 15, 1990).

“Her instinct, her mastery over the machine, was pure witchcraft. I cannot analyze this woman’s acting. I only know that no one else so effectively worked in front of a camera.”–Bette Davis.

[donjuansrecklessdaughter]

The celebrated dramatic soprano Rosa Ponselle singing ‘Morgen’ from Strauss’s Four Last Songs lieder. 

Ponselle was 57 years old when this was recorded. Retired from the stage and public singing, but still with a gorgeously rich middle voice intact and very subtle and moving musicality.

[ravishingtheroyals]

Britain’s 10 Longest Reigning Monarchs as of September 9th, 2015